Amplified Photochemistry with Slow Photons

Slow photons in photonic crystals are shown to optically amplify the photoactivity of anatase TiO2 in an inverse opal structure. An enhancement in TiO2 absorption as a result of slow photons leads to a larger population of electron–hole pairs and faster degradation of organic molecules. A remarkable twofold enhancement is achieved (see figure) when the energy of the slow photons is optimized with respect to the absorption edge of anatase.